Rivera, Hearn and Jacoby Star in Signature's 'The Visit'

Signature Theatre (Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce complete casting for The Visit.  The East Coast premiere of The Visit is the final mainstage show in Signature's Kander and Ebb Celebration, a four-month festival devoted to the works of John Kander and Fred Ebb, the longest song-writing partnership in the history of the American musical theater

The Visit, which will star two-time Tony Award® winners Chita Rivera and George Hearn with Mark Jacoby, features music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and book by Terrence McNally, based on the play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, adapted by Maurice Valency.   The production will be choreographed by Ann Reinking and directed by Frank Galati.   The Visit will play from May 13 through June 22 in The MAX Theatre.

"One of the great plays of the 20th century, The Visit tells the story of Claire Zachanassian (Chita Rivera), who was driven from her hometown in disgrace when she was 17, having been betrayed by her lover, Anton (George Hearn). Several decades and seven husbands later, Zachanassian has become the richest woman in the world, yet her hometown has fallen on hard times. When Zachanassian returns with an offer to save the town, salvation comes with an outrageous price tag," press notes state.   The Visit had its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in October, 2001.

The production will also star Mark Jacoby as The Mayor, with Bethe Austin (Annie, u/s Claire), DB Bonds (Young Anton), Matthew Deming (Louis Perch), Alan H. Green (Benny), Jim Harms (Rudi), Michael Hayward Jones (The Priest), Doug Kreeger (Evgeny, u/s Karl, Young Anton), Mary Ann Lamb (Young Claire), Jerry Lanning (The Doctor), Ryan Lowe (Jacob Chicken),  Karen Murphy (Matilda), Brian O'Brien (Kurt), Cristen Paige (Ottilie), Kevin Reed (Karl), Hal Robinson (The Police Chief), Jeremy Webb (The Schoolmaster), Leslie Becker (Ensemble, u/s Ottilie) Christy Morton (Ensemble, u/s Annie), Brianne Moore (Ensemble, u/s Ottilie), Robert Mintz (u/s Evgeny) and Kimberly Sherbach (Ensemble).  

The Visit will feature set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Howell Binkley and sound design by Matt Rowe.  Orchestrations are by Michael Gibson.  Musical supervision and musical direction is by David Loud.   Musical conductor is Jon Kalbfleisch.

Signature is also currently presenting a rare production of Kander and Ebb's 1968 musical, The Happy Time, featuring George Dvorsky, David Margulies and Michael Minarik, directed by Michael Unger, through June 1 in The ARK Theatre and Kander & Ebb and Terrence McNally's 1993 Tony Award® winning Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Will Chase, Natascia Diaz and Hunter Foster, directed by Eric Schaeffer, through April 20 in The MAX Theatre.    From June 4-7, Signature will present six performances of Kander and Ebb Overtures, with graduates from Signature's Overtures Musical Theater Institute performing in a special showcase of Kander and Ebb's most popular songs.  Other events include the Bowen McCauley Dance company dancing Kander and Ebb (June 12 – 15), a free Kander and Ebb film series (June 2 and June 16), The Kander and Ebb Gala (May 17) and Colored Lights, a special exhibition highlighting Kander and Ebb in Signature's lobby space.  The Kander & Ebb Celebration is made possible in part by the HRH Foundation, Gilbert and Jaylee Mead, and the Bernard Family Foundation.

Tickets to The Visit are $61 - $76 and are now on sale at Ticketmaster at (703) 573-SEAT (7328) or by visiting www.signature-theatreorg.  The Visit is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.   

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